With a 33-point performance in a win over the Pistons on Wednesday, Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander strengthened his case for MVP. While he may be leading that race, however, not everyone is convinced that he's the best in the world. According to one Detroit Pistons announcer, his game pales in comparison to Nikola Jokic'.
“A measly three assists for SGA and 10-for-26 shooting," said the Pistons announcer in a viral moment. "He may be the MVP, but he’s not the best player in the world. The Joker is the best player in the world, he had a 61-point triple-double.”
The NBA's MVP race has been a tight race this year between Thunder superstar Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic, who is already a 3x MVP winner. As the leader of the Thunder (the top team in the West), Shai has earned major respect from fans and critics alike, but is he ready to lead in the postseason, where his Thunder squad was eliminated in the second round last season?
The key to success for the Thunder lies in the play of young guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. Shai was the best player on the floor against the Pistons last night in what became the 11th straight win for the franchise. At 54-12, Oklahoma City has been the best team in the league all season, and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has been leading the way with a career year.
In 73 games this season, SGA is averaging 32.8 points, 5.0 rebounds, and 6.3 assists per game on 52.0% shooting and 90.1% shooting from the line. The 3x All-Star has been a steady hand for the Thunder, and they haven't had an elite scorer like him since the departure of Kevin Durant back in 2016.
Alongside Chet Homgren and Jalen Williams, Shai has elevated the Thunder to the top position in the West with the NBA's best record so far. Still, without a single Finals run, there are doubts that this team can deliver when the stakes are highest.
For that viral Pistons announcer, he doesn't see in SGA what he sees in Nikola Jokic: a truly generational talent who makes all of his teammates better. Against the Timberwolves on Tuesday, the star big man had one of his best games of the year with a final stat line of 61 points and 12 rebounds.
As an NBA champion and offensive juggernaut for the Nuggets, Jokic is making another strong claim as the NBA's MVP with averages of 29.7 points, 12.8 rebounds, and 10.2 assists per game on 57.5% shooting. It's down to a two-horse MVP race between Shai and the Joker, but if SGA had his choice, he'd rather win the NBA championship.
To date, the Oklahoma City Thunder have yet to win the title in their history, and they've yet to make an appearance in the NBA Finals since getting there with Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook in 2011. The team is long overdue to raise the Larry O'Brien trophy, and they have faith it will happen soon despite whatever the doubters might say about their leading superstars.
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